Tire tube tester



Nov. 17, 1942. E. N, BITTNER TIRE TUBE TESTER Filed March 1, 1941 2 Sheets-Sheet l I. 21 INVENTOR EDWARD N. Bn- TN ER BY; 2 (f ATTORNEY Nov, 17, 1942. E. N. BITTNER TIRE TUBE TESTER Filed March 1, 1941 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 INVENTOR EDWARD N.-B ITTN ER BYE; 4

. ATTORNEY Patented Nov. 17, 1942 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE TIR-E TUBE TESTER Edward N. Bittner, Wading River, N. Y.

Application March 1, 1941, Serial No. 381,261

1 Claim.

The invention relates to improvements in tube testing devices.

An object of the invention is to provide a new and useful device for testing air-filled tubes, tires and the like; a further object of the invention is to provide means for testing pneumatic tubes for leaks; a further object of the invention is to provide a new and useful means for immersing in a liquid mediumv an air filled tube or the like whereby leaks in the tube may be detected; a further object of the invention is to provide in a device of the character specified new and useful means for depressing an air filled tube in a liquid medium and overcoming the buoyancy of the tube; a further object of the invention is to provide new and useful means for applying pressure to a tube, tire or the like; other objects and advantages of the invention will be apparent from the following description.

A preferred embodiment of the invention is illustrated in the accompanying drawings, in which Figure 1 is an elevation of the device,

Figure 2 is a plan view of the device,

Figure 3 is a vertical section of the device with the submerging device shown in normal elevated position,

Figure 4 is a vertical section showing a tube submerged and Figure 5 is a cross section on the line 5-5 in Figure 3.

Similar characters of reference refer to like parts throughout the several views.

The device illustrated in the drawings includes a tank I supported on a suitable base 2 and having a vertically disposed hollow casing 3 extending upwardly from the floor of the tank I at its approximate center.

Within the casing 3 there is a toothed shaft 4 which supports a cap or head 5 having a cylindrical skirt 6 which carries a plate 'I.

A collar 8 is slidably mounted on the casing 3 and is provided with a plurality of projecting ears 9 to each of which is hingedly connected a finger I 0. The finger I is L-shaped and has a short end II and a long end I2, and is hingedly connected to the collar 8 at its short end with its long end normally positioned vertically in idle position.

A bent link I3 carried by the plate I is pivoted to the finger I0 near the base of the long free end thereof and normally supports the said finger with its long end in vertical position.

The collar 8 is supported below the plate 1 by a rod I4 having a head I below which is carried a compression spring I6 which provides a tension whereby the collar 8 is drawn toward the plate I. A sleeve I! is secured to the casing 3 by means of set screws I8 and serves as a stop in the upward movement of the collar 8.

On the inner side of the plate 'I there is provided an inverted cup I9 which forms a seat for the short end of the fingers I0, I 0 as hereafter explained.

Below the floor of the tank I there is a pinion 20 which meshes with the teeth 2| of the shaft 4 and is driven by the rotatable shaft 2| operable by the crank 22 or in any other desired manner. An idler 23 may be provided to press the toothed shaft 4 against the pinion 20 and to hold it in mesh therewith.

An anti-friction bearing 24 may be provided at the top end of the shaft 4 to facilitate the rotation thereon of the cap or head 5.

The vertical shaft 4 is thus raised and depressed or lowered by rotating the pinion 20 by means of the crank 22.

The device being thus assembled, the shaft 4 is elevated by turning the crank 22 on the shaft 2|.

When the collar 8 in its upward travel, drawn by the shaft 4, contacts the stop sleeve I! on the casing 3, the further advance or elevation of the shaft 4 will cause the free end I2 of the fingers I0 to assume a vertical position as shown in Figure 3.

The tank I, being supplied with water, the tube 25, to be tested, is passed over the shaft 4 and vertical fingers Ill and will fioat there below on the water in the tank I, it being understood that the tube is of circular shape with an opening sulficiently large to pass over the said fingers ID.

The crank 22 is then turned thereby rotating the drive shaft 2| carrying the pinion 20 which engages the rack teeth 2I on the vertical shaft 4 whereby the shaft 4 is drawn downwardly. The tension of the coiled spring I6 will hold the collar 8 in contact with the stop I1 as the shaft 4 descends, and the bent link I 3 will throw over the long arm I2 of the finger III to a horizontal position. The bent link I3 is secured to the plate 1 by a pin 26 in an elongated slot 21, whereby play is permitted. The short arm II of the finger ID will enter the seat 28 in the cup I9, as the shaft 4 descends, thereby locking the long arm I 2 of the finger I 0 in horizontal position.

The, further descent of the shaft 4 will draw the horizontal arms I2 downwardly against the tube and will cause the tube 25 to be submerged in the water in the tank I.

When the tube 25 is thus submerged, any leak therein may be detected by bubbles formed by air escaping from the inflated tube. The anti-friction bearing 24 on which the head of the shaft 4 is supported permits the tube to be rotated for convenient inspection. After one side surface of the tube 25 has been thus inspected, the operation may be repeated, as above described, the tube 25 turned over, and the other side of the tube 25 similarly inspected.

Having thus described the invention, what I claim is:

In a tire tube tester, the combination of a tank for test liquid, a hollow column vertically supported in the said tank, a toothed shaft in said column, a head on said shaft, a sleeve carried by said head, a plate supported by said sleeve, a collar slidably mounted on said column below said plate, a plurality of L-shaped fingers each having a long end and a short end and hingedly connected to said collar at their short ends and normally positioned with their long ends disposed vertically, whereby an inflated tube may be slipped thereover and be submerged by the fingers when they are lowered to a horizontal position, a corresponding plurality of L-shaped links connecting the said fingers with said plate, stop means on the column position to contact the said collar, said plate having pivotal connecting means to receive the long ends of the said links, a pinion engaging the teeth on said shaft and crank means for driving the said pinion to raise and lower the fingers for conducting a test.

' EDWARD N. BITTNER 

